11.06.2017

"Don't let TERRORISM take over our Town!"

What the hell, New Jersey? For the second time within a week, a racist flier attacking a local candidate has been circulated anonymously. The latest one targets a Sikh mayor candidate in Hoboken.

On Friday night, fliers attacking Hoboken councilman and mayor candidate Ravi Bhalla were anonymously placed on car windshields in the mid-town area. The fliers declare "Don't let TERRORISM take over our Town!" above a picture of Bhalla, who wears a turban and unshorn beard in accordance with his Sikh faith.

The fliers appear to be a modified version of a mailer previously sent by the campaign of mayoral opponent Michael DeFusco, claiming that Bhalla had an alleged conflict of interest back in 2014, when the councilman approved a redevelopment plan for a property owned by a client of his law firm.

Because racists are cowards, of course, the fliers were distributed anonymously. Somebody with hate in their heart and way too much time on their hands decided to get creative with Photoshop on a Friday night.

Original campaign mailer and modified flier

DeFusco condemned the modified fliers in a statement, denouncing them as "racist garbage" and saying his campaign had nothing to do with them. He also said he had been in contact with Bhalla and called on Hoboken authorities to open an investigation into the fliers.

"I called Councilman Bhalla tonight to assure him that although we disagree on many issues, we can stand united against this kind of racism infecting our city," DeFusco said on Facebook.

Hoboken police say they are investigating the distribution of the fliers as a potential bias crime.

"Looking at the law, it could touch on that," Hoboken Police Chief Kenneth Ferrante told NJ Advance Media. "It's awful conduct whoever was the person behind it, and illegal conduct. I was made aware of it last night at approximately 10 p.m. and our detectives immediately began an investigation."

Last week, voters in the township of Edison received racist mailers targeting local school board candidates Jerry Shi and Falguni Patel, declaring "The Chinese and Indians are taking over our town!"

UPDATE: The Hoboken Police Department says it is seeking two persons of interest in connection with the fliers. They've released an image of the suspects and are asking for the public's help identifying them.

Mike DeFusco shared the image on his campaign's Facebook page, and made sure to clarify that the fliers were distributed by "an outside actor with no connection to our campaign."

Anyone with information on the identity of these individuals is asked to contact the Hoboken Police Department at 201-420- 2131 or 201-420- 2106 and ask to speak with a detective.